BBC Radio 2 heads to Ibiza for summer celebration

BBC Radio 2 is heading to Ibiza to celebrate the explosion of dance music that has hailed from the island over the past three decades.

Presenters Gary Davies, Zoe Ball and Scissor Sister Ana Matronic will all be broadcasting from the White Isle from June 30 to July 1, bringing listeners a selection of live performances, interviews and '80s hits.

Radio 2 head Lewis Carnie (pictured, right) said: “Ibiza has been a favourite holiday destination for our listeners for years, so I’m delighted that Radio 2 will be heading there for the first time, to present a range of special programmes from the island this June. Many of our presenters have been a key part of Ibiza’s dance history so it’s great that we can take them back and remind our listeners of the island’s great cultural heritage in music.”

The station will team up with Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza’s Children Of The 80s night to kick off the weekend from 8pm to midnight on Friday, June 29. Presented by Davies, the broadcast will feature performances from Tony Hadley, The Fizz and Bonnie Tyler.

“I discovered Ibiza in 1986 and since then I’ve not stopped going," said Davies. "I found my passion for house music there and would regularly bring back music to play on my radio show. It’s a magical island that gives you a feeling of freedom like nowhere else in the world and I can’t wait to bring a taste of Ibiza to BBC Radio 2.”

On Saturday, June 30 from 3pm-6pm, Ball will broadcast live from the terrace of Pikes Hotel, where Wham! filmed the video for Club Tropicana. Maxi Jazz of Faithless will join Ball for a special performance, plus there’ll be a poolside-mix from Groove Armada as well as live acoustic set from Morcheeba. DJ Pete Tong will also be sharing his favourite memories of Ibiza.

“I can’t believe the BBC is allowing me to host a show in Ibiza again, I can’t wait," said Ball. "It’s been over 20 years since I first went there with Radio 1. We have some amazing guests on the show that I love including Groove Armada, Morcheeba, the legendary Tony Pike and the hilarious Christian and Alan from Café Mambo. We’ll also be playing a lot of Ibiza classics from the past 30 years that I’m sure will bring back a lot of memories for our audience.”

Scissor Sister Ana Matronic will then take over the airwaves from midnight-2am on Sunday, July 1, as she takes to the decks from Freddie’s Bar (named after Freddie Mercury) at Pikes Hotel for a live DJ set.

“For years Ibiza has been just a legend, an Avalon of natural beauty and off-the-charts fun that friend after friend has said 'Ana, you’ve got to go,'" said Matronic. "Finally, this is the summer I get to not only experience the White Isle magic, but commemorate the Second Summer of Love with a special edition of Dance Devotion live from the legendary Freddie’s at Pike’s!

"I’ll be bringing you a special show of Balearic-tinged disco, house and pop from me and my very special guests."